After Marchand was tripped up by Penguins captain Sidney Crosby during the first period, Neal skated by and kneed him in the head while he was on the ice. Neal was assessed a minor penalty for kneeing.

"I mean, what do you want me to say? That I was trying to hit him?" Neal told reporters after the game. "No, I'm going by him. I don't get out of the way, like I said. I need to be more careful and I guess get my knee out of the way, but I'm not trying to hit him in the head or injure him or anything like that."

In an explanation of the suspension, NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan explained, "With a clear view of Marchand and plenty of time to avoid him, Neal skates directly through Marchand's head with his left knee ... while looking down directly at Marchand, Neal turns his skates and extends his left leg, ensuring that contact is made with Marchand's head."

Neal's hearing with the league was over the phone, while Bruins forward Shawn Thornton is still waiting to have his in-person. Thornton was given a match penalty after he dragged down Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik after the whistle and punched him in the head.

Orpik had to be taken off the ice at TD Garden on a stretcher. He was released from Massachusetts General Hospital and returned to Pittsburgh with the team. He was placed on injured reserve Monday.